• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.397-413
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• 2008

In Gaya area, the Boseong kaolin deposits exhibit locally unusual occurrences such as downward enrichment of kaoin minerals, characteristic hydrothermal alterations (illite and stilbite), and phase relations among kaolin minerals in addition to the extensive weathering of anorthositic country rocks. This indicates that the kaolin deposits seem to be genetically formed as a mixed hydrothermal and residual model. The kaolin ores can be divided into five types on the basis of differences in occurrence, mineral composition and characters. These consist of two types of high-grade ores ranging above 80% in grade and low-grade ores as low as less than 80% including feldspar residuals or the peculiar impurity phase of illite-vermiculite-stilbite. Halloysite and kaolinite are mostly coexisted in the Boseong kaolin, and these kaolin minerals exhibit diverse appearances in crystallinity and morphology. Such a diversity in mineral phase and crystallinity seems to be originated from the complexity in genesis. In addition to these diverse characters of the kaolin, its applied-mineralogical characteristics such as chemical composition, thermal properties, whiteness, viscosity, and etc. made it disadvantageous in terms of ore quality.